428 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 
this region, and were clothed with a magnificent growth of cypress, 
oak, and hickory trees, though at all points examined by me the high 
shores sloped rapidly away to low, wet swamps. About 7 miles (by the 
river) above Fort Ogden I met the first indications of fossil bones. On 
a low point, where the river makes a sudden bend, lay a small bed of 
gravel interspersed with innumerable fragments of bones, bits of turtle 
shell, &c., still retaining their bony structure, and in no way changed or 
petrified. From this point onward every sand-bar had its bed of gravel 
with similar fragments of bone, bits of deer’s horns, and turtle shell. 
Each successive sand-bar held large pieces, and I vainly examined 
bluffs for some indication of the fossils insitu. Shark’s teeth (quitesmall) — 
with the enamel unbroken were quite plentiful. The bluffs were com- 
posed of white or yellow sand, overlying patches of grayish clay, soft 
sandstone rocks, or very soft limestone. The sand only was continu- 
ous, the clay and soft rocks cropping out here and there. As we as- 
cended the stream narrowed and the cur ent was so swift that we could 
not make more than a mile and ahalf an hour. There being no houses 
on the river, excepting at the ferries, we could make no inquiries. At 
the first ferry, 3 miles above Fort Ogden, they had never heard of Tise’s 
Ford. At thesecond, the ferryman informed us that thereare two fords — 
of that name, one 8 miles above and the other 4 miles below; that bones 
could be found on all the bars and along the shores almost anywhere, but 
that they were more plentiful at Gardner’s Bluffs, 5 miles above, and at 
Tise’s Ford, 4 miles below, thananywhereelse. The river seeming to have 
very little current above this ferry, I determined to push on to the upper 
ford. It was now 5 o’clock in the afternoon and my crew showed signs of 
rebellion, but finally agreed to pull to Gardner’s Bluffs, which we reached 
about sundown. Here I found a bed of gravel 10 inches thick, which 
seemed to extend under the bluff. The gravel and fragments of bone — 
seemed to be very slightly waterworn, their angles in many instances 
appearing quite sharp. At this place a small stream emptied into the 
river. Between the river and the brook the banks were 10 feet high, 
and | had thesatisfaction of finding that the stratum of gravel extended 
quite through to the little brook. Here my men positively refused to- 
proceed, so I determined to leave them and proceed alone, as the mos- 
quitoes gave little to be hoped for in the way of sleep during the night. 
I ordered them to dig in the bluff the next day, and to save all objects 
of interest they might find, and taking the boat I began the ascent 
alone. I pulled steadily until 2 o’clock, when, overcome with fatigue, 
I lay down in the boat and fought the mosquitoes until day. The next 
morning I dropped down the river leisurely, examining every sand-bar 
and bluff, and following several small streams half a mile up on foot, 
without finding the mysterious source of this bone supply. When I got 
back I found my men digging like heroes, each of them having his” 
pockets stuffed with lumps of iron pyrites, which they fondly imagined 
to be gold. I kept my counsel for the present, and suffered the rebels — 
